refer to a 7-card preview variant that seems like it should be called "7-up". I can't find any other reference to it elsewhere, and I'm intrigued and curious.

My assumption is you place out 7 cards and use a "first in, first out" method, putting the "oldest" card up for auction each turn, sliding the row down, and adding a new card next to the previously newest card so the next 7 cards are always visible.

I can see how it would make the game more tactical, but wonder if it would also introduce analysis paralysis. And I wonder if it helps mitigate the common complaints of a potential runaway leader and/or unsatisfying end-game.

Can anyone comment on their experiences using this variant? (and/or explain your version of it?)

I've not used that variant, but what I have done is to ignore wildcards for the first round and draw a new card instead. Once we've gone round the table once, any wilcards drawn are shuffled back in and then the game is played normally.

New to me. Interesting idea. Will have to try that. Even having 3 cards face up would be an interesting shift. Advance knowledge would likely create "region" control bidding wars informed by a heads up that a payout is on its way, or not.

The official six player rules you can download from the files section has player put up 2 cards for bid. The winner gets to pick. Second highest bid claims the other card. I have yet to play this. Looking forward to giving it a go.

New to me. Interesting idea. Will have to try that. Even having 3 cards face up would be an interesting shift. Advance knowledge would likely create "region" control bidding wars informed by a heads up that a payout is on its way, or not.

The number of cards (7) surprised me because it seemed like a lot. My guess is that the number is used partly because it fits the game's numbers (49 is 7 squared, $7 payout per chip, 7 rows and columns on the board).

The official six player rules you can download from the files section has player put up 2 cards for bid. The winner gets to pick. Second highest bid claims the other card. I have yet to play this. Looking forward to giving it a go.

Cool, I didn't know about this one, thanks for referencing it! Might be interesting to do the "two number card turns, one wild card turn" sequence with 5 or fewer players also (only one auction winner per turn, as usual).